Geneva, 12 January 2021: IGBA, the International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (IGBA), representing global manufacturers of generic and biosimilar medicines, announced today that Sudarshan Jain, Secretary General of the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA), is taking over the position of IGBA Chair for 2021 from Hanan Sboul, Secretary General of the Jordanian Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers.

“2020 was an unprecedented year in many ways. Tremendous engagement and commitment by our member associations and their member companies were required to face up to the numerous challenges never encountered before to ensure that patients worldwide get the treatments they need”,  commented the outgoing IGBA Chair Hanan Sboul. “Despite these very demanding times, tangible progress was made under the WHO-IGBA Memorandum of Understanding, aiming at increasing access to affordable quality treatment. IGBA continued supporting with an increasing number of experts the scientific harmonization process within the International Council for Harmonization (ICH), completed a study with IQVIA on the impact of free trade agreements (FTAs) on generic and biosimilar markets, authored a peer-reviewed scientific paper on tailored clinical biosimilar development and launched its first ever Global Biosimilars Week social media campaign”, Hanan Sboulemphasized.

In 2021, IGBA also welcomed the Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) as the first national association joining IGBA as an Observer. “The decision to create an Observer category reflects the IGBA efforts to be more inclusive, to contribute to the 2014 World Health Assembly Resolution (WHA) onRegulatory system strengthening for medical products and the WHA Resolution on Access to biotherapeutic products including similar biotherapeutic products and ensuring their quality, safety and efficacy as well as to support regulatory convergence and reliance”, commented Suzette Kox, IGBA Secretary General.

The incoming IGBA Chair Sudarshan Jain is a well-known veteran in the pharmaceutical industry and brings with him decades of strong leadership and drug policy experience. “I am very pleased and proud to take over the Chairmanship of IGBA and look forward to ensuring that IGBA continues to expand its outreach relevant to its mission, priorities and operations”, commented Sudarshan Jain. “Increased and sustainable patient access to high quality medicines worldwide, as well as balanced intellectual property systems remain our key priorities”, he added. “More than ever, we need to transform the lessons learned from the current pandemic and public health crises into resilience of the supply-chain of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and Finished Products (FPs) and ensure that the needs of patients and their access to affordable, safe, and effective generic and biosimilar medicines are taken into account in trade agreements”, Sudarshan Jain concluded.

The International Generic and Biosimilar medicines Association (IGBA) was founded to strengthen cooperation between associations representing manufacturers of generic and biosimilar medicines from around the world. The IGBA is at the forefront of preserving sustainable competition within our industry, by stimulating competitiveness and innovation in the pharmaceutical sector; thereby, ensuring millions of patients around the world have access to high quality, pro-competitive medicines. For more details regarding IGBA and its member associations, see the IGBA website at: www.igbamedicines.org

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